Spartans Open 2010 CAC Championships with Eight Medal-Stand Finishes

Feb 12, 2010

ST.
MARY’S CITY, MD – The York College men’s swimming
team began the annual Capital Athletic Conference Championships
Friday evening with a strong showing. Despite the weather
conditions forcing a timed finals only Friday evening, as the
preliminaries were scratched, the Spartans picked up eight
medal-stand finishes which included taking the title in the 400
medley relay.

In the opening night’s final event, the
Green and White posted a 3:37.60 to nab the 400 medley relay.
Junior AJ Bean (Ijamsville, Md./Urbana) led of the
race in the backstroke event before Steve Tobin (Estell
Manor, N.J./Holy Spirit) backed up Bean’s
performance with a quality breaststroke portion. Senior
Clark Arnold (York, Pa./Northeastern), one of
York’s most decorated swimmers, coursed through the butterfly
leg before Mike Murphy (Farmingdale, N.J./Colts
Neck), the reigning CAC champion in the 100 freestyle,
finished the event with a freestyle anchor.

The Green and White faired exceptionally well
in the relay events as the Spartans took second in the 200
freestyle, the Championships’ opening event. Ben Hilt
(Mt. Joy, Pa./Hempfield), Will McLennan (Sparks,
Md./Calvert Hall), Richard Janosky (Dover,
Pa./Dover), and Jack Gottschalk (Forest Hill,
Md./Fallston) combined to post a solid 1:28.03.

Three individual events were sandwiched
between the relays, as the 500 freestyle, 200 intermediate medley,
and 50 freestyle titles were decided this evening.

York’s best group finish came in the 50
free where the Green and White took three of the top-eight spots.
In a race that requires near flawless swimming, McLennan, a Spartan
rookie in his first CAC Championships, swam a spectacular race
notching a 22.00 to secure fourth. Hilt finished fifth by clocking
a 22.22 while Gottschalk took seventh with a 22.34.

The Green and White would post two individual
fourth-place finishes on the evening, as Tobin took fourth in the
200 IM. The junior’s strong effort gave him a 2:01.95. Senior
Andy Demarest (Galloway, N.J./Abesegami) joined
Tobin on the medal stand as he finished sixth with a 2:03.04 while
freshman Steve Mercer (Rockville, Md./The Heights
School) nabbed 11th with a 2:06.34 in his first
CAC Championships event.

Bean provided the Spartans with their best
finish in the 500 freestyle, taking ninth overall with a 4:58.25.
Steve Yeager (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) posted a
5:02.08 for 11th-place while Matt Kempel
(Millington, Md./Queen Anne's County) touched the wall at
5:07.93 for 12th.

After five men’s events, the Spartans
find themselves in second place overall with 179 points and plenty
of swimming left on the docket.